1. Field of the Invention
This invention is an optical disk player operable by a remote controller for reproducing information recorded on an optical disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an optical disk player for playing an optical disk such as a DVD (digital versatile disk) with information such as an image and voice being recorded thereon has become widespread. The operation for such an optical disk player is done using a key operation unit attached to the front panel of a player body or a remote controller. However, in the present circumstances, almost all users perform this operation using the remote controller.
The remote controller includes various kinds of keys such as a power key for turning on/off the power of the player, an open/close key for opening/closing a disk tray, a play key for executing a playing operation for a loaded optical disk, a stop key for stopping the playing operation or a skip operation, a temporary stop key for temporarily stopping the playing operation, a set-up key for executing setup, a screen display key for displaying information on a screen, a menu key for displaying a menu, a skip key for executing skip-up (quick forwarding) and skip-down (quick reversing), an enter key for determining inputted operation information, a cancel key for canceling the inputted operation information, and ten keys for inputting numerals.
Meanwhile, in a general home, in most cases, the remote controller is not located seriously. So, during playing, a user unconsciously touches a key of the remote controller so that the key unexpected by the user may be operated. Thus, as the case may be, the optical disk reproducing apparatus falls in an operating status not intended by the user. This is attributable to the fact that the key entry other than those inhibited by the apparatus itself or the disk itself is received. In other words, the key entry may be done by the unconscious operation by the user or other persons or the key may be hit by an object so that the unexpected operation of the optical disk player may be performed. However, in such a conventional optical disk apparatus described above, the user cannot designate the key he wants to inhibit during playing so that the key entry other than those inhibited by the apparatus itself or disk itself will be received, thus leading to an unexpected operation which is a problem to be solved.
In the related art disclosed in JP-A-11-238367, among various operation keys, the key(s) operable at present can be notified the user. However, since the user cannot designate the key he wants to inhibit during playing, the above problem cannot be solved.
In the related art disclosed in JP-A-2002-278687, inconveniences in function selection by a cyclic key in various apparatuses or a stop key of the remote controller are removed. However, in this related art also, the user cannot designate the key he wants to inhibit during playing so that this related art cannot solve the above problem.
In the related art disclosed in JP-A-2002-50106, lock releasing of an operation key for giving commands of various operations can be done manually as the occasion demands. In addition, in the case of setting for synchronous recording, by automatically releasing the setting in correlation with a prescribed operation, key lock setting with satisfactory operability can be made. However, in this related art also, the user cannot designate the key he wants to inhibit during playing so that this related art cannot solve the above problem.